Today we’d like to introduce you to Briana Smith.
Hi Briana, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
In March of 2016, nearly a year of working in corporate America, and after graduating college, I realized I needed something outside of work. I needed something that would bring me joy and allow me to be creative and hopefully something that could generate additional income. I prayed on it for a few months and God gave me the idea of starting a t-shirt business, but I immediately rejected the idea. I felt the market was over saturated and to be honest, it felt basic. However, after some years of growth, I realized it was more than just t-shirts, it’s about uplifting women who are learning to heal and prioritize themselves, as well as, offer sustainable clothing. So, in November of 2021, I finally started shetriedHER and it has been a joy connecting with so many like-minded individuals.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
In many ways, starting my business has been smooth, but in other ways not so much. I did much better than imagined my first year in business, but with all of the sales and online engagement, there’s still so much that goes into a business, i.e., operating expenses. Operating expenses has definitely been the hardest part because you have to make sure to not only have enough funds to consistently market the business but also for restocks and new products. Not to mention trying to make sure there’s enough food on the table with the rising cost of living. That part has been difficult, but I know it will get better and there will always be some sort of challenge to overcome in life.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have a double major in supply chain management and marketing and have worked specifically in procurement since graduating college in 2015. However, in May of 2022, I left my corporate job to prioritize my mental health. It was interesting because for so long I was preaching to people about how important it is to prioritize your needs, but I struggled for well over a year to leave, especially because leaving would directly affect my income. While leaving has been met with many different challenges, my mental health is a lot better and I can better show up myself and my business. During this time, I have also invested in myself and have taken a few life coaching courses and hope to start accepting clients by April of this year. I am extremely proud of myself for taking the risk of leaving something that was not meant for me, no matter how safe and secure that job may have felt, and even people close to me not understanding. I have never been one to take risks, but I realized everything is a risk. If I would have stayed because of fear, I would have continued to risk my well-being; and that is what I want people to do, prioritize their needs because as cliche as it sounds, you simply cannot pour from an empty cup.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
My success is mainly possible because I have a strong support system behind me. There are so many people who encourage me to keep going and keep trying new things. I cannot tell you how many times people have sent me grant applications, a popup I may be interested in, words of encouragement, a business shoutout, etc. That is honestly what has been most important to my success. Outside of the support, I believe time has led to my success. While I sat on this business idea for several years before truly beginning it, time allowed me to start a well-developed and thought-out business. Time also provided me with the tools to assist others on their healing journey; I needed to grow a little more to provide you all with a little more.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shetriedher.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shetriedHER/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/shetriedHER/100076530722265/
Image Credits
Jasmine Ryland
